Controlling mechanism



Dec. 25, 1 928. 1,696,746

C. W. WYMAN CONTROLLING MECHANISI Filed March 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 SHUNT KICK Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,746

C- W. WYMAN CONTROLLING MECHANI SM Dec. 25, 1928.

C. W. WYMAN CONTROLLiNG MECHANISM Filed March 2 1924 Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. WYMAN, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 24, 1924. Serial No. 701,594.

This invention relates 'to controlling mechanisms, and more particularly to an electric controller of the drum type particularly adapted. although not exclusively, to be used in a mining machine.

It has for its object to provide an 1mproved controller. A further object 18 to provide an improved controller of the drum type. Another object is to provide an 1mproved reversible drum type controller. Still another object is to provide a controller which is adapted to rotate about one axis, but actuated from the side thereof. A further object is to provide an improved construction such as will allow the controller to be disposed within a very small space. A still further object is to provide improved means to prevent the operating handle from being swung directly from the forward po-.

sition to reversing position.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration one form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mining machine having embodied therein my improved controller.

Fig. 2 is a. vertical longitudinal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 4, part of the insulating plate in back being omitted to show details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 33 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 to 7 of the drum.

Fig. 8'is an enlarged detail view ofthe manual means for limiting movement of the operating handle.

are detail elevational views Figs. 9 to 14 are details of the drum contacts taken on lines 99 to 14-14 respectively on Fig. 6.

Fig. 15 is a wiring diagram.

I have shown my improved electric controller in connection with a mining machine 1 for which it is particularly adapted; as it is highly essential in a mining machine that the same be as compact as possible, although such a machine is only one of many other.

compact mechanism where the controller might be used.

More specifically the controller is disposed within a relatively small space 2 located adadapted to engage a stop tion of the 'ment.

ably mounted within the bearings 3 and 4 as by a shaft 8 which has fixed thereto adjacent the bearing 3 a beveled gear segment 9 meshingwith an actuating gear segment 10 fixed to a shaft 11 rotatably carried by a cover 12 in turn fixed to the mining machine by bolts 13 that also pass through the flanges 6 of the controller frame. Fixed to the shaft 11 s an actuating handle 14 adapted to be osc llated to either its forwarder reverse position.

Suitable means are also provided for preventing movement of this handle from one extreme position directly toits opposite extreme position, thereby insuring that the motor will not be unnecessarily abused. This latter means comprises an arm 15 ex tendingupwardly from the handle 14 and carrying a pin 16 which projects into the -slot formed by fingers 17 projecting outwardly from a member 18 which is pivoted about a pin 19 that is in axial alinement with the pin 16 when arm 14 is in neutral position. Extending downwardly and upwardly from the member 18 and in a plane to the rear of the fingers 17 are members 20 pin 21. A graspmg portion 22 projects from the body pormember 18 which is adapted to be grasped by the operator and rotated about the pivot 19 but limited in its movementby either of the members 20. If it is desired to operate the motor in a reverse direction, the member 18 is rotated about the pivot 19 until the uppermember 20 engages stop 21 thus allowing the fingers 17 to project in the opposite direction to allow pin 16 and arm 14 to be moved in the reverse direction out of the opening. lVhen the operator quickly returns the handle to neutral position, the pin 16 will engage the member 18 at the end of the slot formed between the fingers 17 and thus prevent further move- In order to hold the drum in its various operating positions I provide a pawl 23. radially yieldably held between depending portions of the upper bearing 3 and adapted to engage in notches 23 formed in the gear 9. A spring 24 seats against a stop also depending from the bearing 3 to yieldingly hold said pawl.

During actuation of the handle. 14 it will be obvious of course that the gears 9 and 10 will cooperate to rotate the drum 7 to make the necessary electrical connections. The means for making the electric connections comprises a plurality of sets of contact members generally indicated at 25 and disposed upon the controller shaf which is here shown as being square and having insulation 26 upon which the hubs of contacts 25 are mounted. The contacts of each set have sliding contact surfaces as shown in Fig. 11, which are angularly disposed about the shaft and also disposed between transverse insulating partitions 27 projecting rearwardly from a front wall of insulation 28, and side insulating walls 29 and 29, the latter being carried by vertical members 30. Thus, the sets of contacts are practically disposed within aninsulated chamber which reduces to a minimum all chance for burning out or short circuiting. T have shown a novel means of connecting the contacts to the shaft which in one instance comprises, as shown in Fig. 11, a hub 31 having an overhanging portion 32 which engages only a portion of one side of the square insulation. A clamp 33 constructed similarly to hub 31 but not havin any contact also engages the shaft and a bolt 34 holds hub and clamp together.

7 By such a construction there is no necessity for passing a clamp clear around the shaft, and yet a satisfactory clamping action is obtained. As shown in Figs. 5 to 7 various contacts of the different sets are electrically connected as by longitudinal bars .35. The particular contacts so connected will be more apparent from the diagram. In Fig. 10 is shown how a contact may be made so as to have engagement withthe shaft insulation and yet be insulated from aconnecting bar 35; This comprises an opening 36 with V- shaped slot 37 in the hub 31 communicating therewith; thus the space at the junction of the same is large enough for the bar 35 to.

passdurin assembling and is eld in position by bo lts connecting the adjacent contact therewith. When the contacts are thus assembled, plastic insulation is packed around the various elements and when hardened will have a periphery just within the contact surfaces. Grooves 38 are formed in the insulation into which the insulating partitions 27 project, thus making it very difiicult for a short circuit to take place. Some of the contacts 25 make suitable connections 'to drive the motor in forward direction while others are for driving the motor in its reverse direction, this feature being more apparent from the diagram to be later described.

Extending into the spaces between parthe resistance at 56, the connection to wires.

In the diagram shown in rig. 15 the drum and contacts have been projected on to a flat surface' That is, the contacts 46 49, 46 49 and 5354 which are the sliding surfaces of the drum cont-acts, heretofore generally indicated by 25, would form adja-' cent contacts on a circle such as shown in Fig; 9. The drum contacts shown as disposed between these outermost contacts will have positions on the periphery of the drum intermediate the above m ntioned contacts. The drum rheostat contacts, heretofore likewise generally designated 25, are shown as comprising two sets of sliding contact sur faces 4952 and 49 -52 the contacts in each transverse plane having difierentangular positions relative to each other than the remaining contacts, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 to 12. The stationary contacts, heretofore generally designated 40, 41 are also shown as comprising 40 4O and 4l 4l. The line has also been indicated at 55, 59; the fields as 57,58 and the connection to the armature as 60.

In operation, in one direction of drum rotation which controls one direction of the motor, one set of contacts, say 49 52, will successively engage stationary rheostat contacts 40 -40 while in the other direction of rotation contacts 49 52 will engage the same. The drum contacts for controlling line and motor connections are shown at 4649, 4649, and 53, 54. The cooperating stationary contacts are indicated at 411 41 and 40 40 It is to be noted that contacts 48, 48 and 52, 52 are in the same transverse plane. During the first movement in forward direction of the controller arm,

contact 52 and rheostat contact 4 will engage each other, likewise contacts 46 -49 and 4141 contacts 40 53 and 40, 54. With the contacts in the positions above named the current will flow in from line through contacts 49, 49 which is electrically connected to 49, down to contact 52 which is electrically connected to the other rheostat contacts 49-52, through all the resistance 55, line 57, shunt and shunt kick coil, line 58, contacts 41 and 47 which is electrically connected to 54, and out line 59. Current also flows through the series coil, contact 40 electrically connected contacts 53 and 46, contact 41*, armature connection 60, electrically connected contacts 48 47 and 54 to line 59. With further rotation of the drum in the same direction, only contacts 4952 will change their contacting positions with respect to rheostat contacts merely to cut outthe resistance,the other contacts re maining in sliding engagement with their cooperating contacts. It is to be noted that contacts 49, 49 serve both as rheostat and line contacts. \Vhen the controller is moved in the reverse direction, contacts 40-49 will engage contacts 41 41 contacts 46 and 47 will engage contacts 40, 40 contacts 49 -52 will successively engage contacts 4040. the armature windings in the reverse direction to cause reverse rotation.

By my improved construction it will be seen that I have provided an extremely compact drum type of controller that may be readily removed from the side of a support ing casing, easily controlled from the side thereof, one wherein the contacts are held in position by novel means and insulated from each other and so arranged that by merely throwing the lever 22 the motor may be reversed, and having all the various contacts suitably surrounded by insulating walls so that short circuiting is almost impossible.

lVhile I have in this application specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice,it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes ofillustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A controller mechanism comprising an oscillating drum having longitudinally spaced contacts, and manually operable actuating means therefor oscillatable about an axis angularly disposed to the drum axis and intermediate its ends.

2. A controller comprising a supporting casing, a drum rotatably mounted therein and carrying longitudinal spaced movable contacts, and means for operating said drum comprising a gear fixed to said drum, a pivotal gear segment meshing with the gear on said drum, and a handle operatively connected to said gear segment and an ranged to swing in a plane parallel to the axis of said drum, said handle and gear segment being rotatably supported inter-' mediate the contacts on the drum by a removable portion of said casing.

3. A controller having a supporting frame, a drum rotatably mounted therein and having longitudinally spaced contacts, a cover d tachably supported by the frame and disposed along .the axis of said drum, manually operable actuating means for said Thus the current will flow into.

drum pivoted on the cover at a point between the ends of the drum, and gear connections between said actuating means and said drum.

4. A controller adapted to. be inserted into a recess in a machine comprising a supdrum, and actuating means forsaid drum projecting through said .cover.

5. A controller adapted to be bodily removed from the side of a supporting member, comprising a drum frame, a rotatable drum carried thereby, a removable cover supported by said drum frame and disposed along the axis of the drum, and actuating means for the drum carried by said cover for oscillation about an axis angularly disposed to the drum axis.

6. A controller comprising longitudinal contact supporting members having outwardly projecting portions, means for supporting the outer end of the same, a drum having a plurality of longitudinally spaced contacts and rotatably carried by said projecting portions, cooperating contacts carried by said membersfcover means disposed parallel to the axis of said drum and carrying drum actuating means, and insulating means disposed between said drum and cover.

7. A controller for the current of an electric circuit comprising a reversely operable rotatable drum having two sets of contacts, one set adapted to direct current in one direction in the circuit and the other set adapted to direct current in the opposite direction in the circuit, a plurality of said contacts being disposed in a single transverse plane, and cooperating contacts therefor, the contacts of each set being so arranged that upon movement of said drum in one direction from a zero point one set will successively engage said cooperating contacts and upon movement in the other direction from said zero point the other set will successively engage said contacts.

8. A controller for the current of an electric circuit comprising a reversely operable rotatable drum having two sets of contacts, one set adapted to direct current in one direction in the circuit and the other set adapted to direct current in the opposite direction in the circuit, a plurality of said contacts being disposed in a single transverse plane, additional contacts carried by said drum, and cooperating contacts for all of said contacts, the, contacts of each set being so arranged that upon movement of said drum in one direction from a zero point one set will successively engage said cooperating contacts and upon movement portions only partly surrounding the same,

and means disposed only on the side of said shaft opposite the unengaged portion for holding said contacts together.

11, A controller comprising a rotatable drum having a plurality of operating positions, intern'ieshing gears for actuating the same, and means including an element engaging one of said gears for yieldably holding said drum in its various operating positions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES W. ,WYMAN. 

